The text below is an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World whiteboard.
How Old Is the Earth According to the Bible?
Does the Bible show that the earth is only 6,000 years old?
In this video we’ll see what the Bible says about how long this blue and green gem that we call home has been around.
But before we get into it, if you appreciate these videos, be sure to “like” and subscribe to our channel. We make these videos to explain Bible topics in an easy-to-understand way, because there is only one truth, and we want everyone to know it.
Now, we’ll start from the beginning—no, not that one. We’ll get to that beginning in a bit.
John 1:1 “In the Beginning Was the Word”
First, let’s go to John 1, which refers to a time before the earth was created. Starting in verse 1, it says:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made (John 1:1–3).
Verses 14 through 18 then explain that the “Word” was the divine Being who became Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has been with the Father from eternity. They exist outside of time.
There was a (for lack of a better word) time before time (2 Timothy 1:9). And it was through Jesus Christ that all things were made—including the earth and the entire universe.
Genesis 1:1 “God Created the Heavens and the Earth”
Now let’s go to the other beginning—Genesis 1:1.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
We see that at some point in time, God decided to bring earth and the entire universe into existence. The angels witnessed this and rejoiced, which we see in Job 38:7.
…when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
And when He first created the earth, it was perfect, as Isaiah 45:18 says.
For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens, who is God, who formed the earth and made it, who has established it, who did not create it in vain, who formed it to be inhabited: “I am the LORD, and there is no other.”
God did not form the earth in vain, or tohu in Hebrew. Tohu means, “without form, or chaotic and wasted.” God created the earth as inhabitable, as an oasis of life. Think dinosaurs and megalodons, which existed millennia before human beings.
Genesis 1:2 Gap Theory “Earth Became Without Form and Void”
Yet Genesis 1:2 then says:
The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
The word translated as “without form” is the Hebrew word tohu.
So wait a minute. How could the earth be without form (tohu) if, as we just read in Isaiah, God “did not create it in tohu”?
Well, as many scholars recognize, the Hebrew hayah—translated “was” in Genesis 1:2—elsewhere can convey the idea of “became.” One example is in Genesis 2:7, where it says, “man hayah [translated “became”] a living being.”
Genesis 1:2 could more appropriately be translated literally as “the earth became a desolate waste.” The Hebrew does not imply that the earth was created in that condition.
So God’s initial creation was perfect, but there was a pivotal event that caused creation to become chaotic and without form. This event took place between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2.
Satan’s Fall from Heaven | Isaiah 14:12, Ezekiel 28
The Bible shows that this catastrophic event was the angelic rebellion against God, led by the archangel Lucifer—thus making him “Satan” or the “adversary of God.” We find details of Satan and this rebellion in Ezekiel 28.
You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned (Ezekiel 28:15–16).
Satan sinned against God. He even tried to take over God’s throne, as Isaiah 14:12–15 says.
How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning.... For you said in your heart: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God... I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.”
In this rebellion, Satan took a third of the angels with him (Revelation 12:4). This cataclysmic event left the perfect creation in tohu, that is mayhem and utter disorder. The earth had become desolate and devastated as a result of Satan’s sin and rebellion. In fact, Romans 8:20 says:
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope.
But exactly how long ago did this occur? How long did Satan’s rebellion last? On these details, the Bible is silent. It certainly could have happened billions of years ago, meaning the earth could be billions of years old.
Seven Days of Creation (i.e. Re-Creation)
Now going back to Genesis, we see that Genesis 1:3 begins what would accurately be called the week of “re-creation” because earth was in need of restoration before the creation of mankind.
Psalm 104:30 even says:
You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the earth.
So in seven days God restored the earth and kicked off His 7,000-year plan for humanity.
Genesis 1:26–27 says that on the sixth day:
God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
The Bible goes on to provide enough genealogical information and a general timeline that shows the re-creation week occurred approximately 6,000 years ago. Therefore, mankind has been living on earth for approximately 6,000 years, or in other words, for six millennial days.
2 Peter 3:8 A Day Is Like a Thousand Years in God’s Plan
The millennial day principle is well established in Scripture. For example, in Psalm 90:4 we read:
For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past.
And 2 Peter 3:8 says:
With the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The Bible also shows that God’s plan for mankind consists of seven millennial days, or seven 1,000-year periods. The final 1,000-year period will commence with the return of Jesus Christ. He will reign on earth as King of kings, and Lord of lords for 1,000 years (Revelation 19:11–16; Revelation 20:4–6; Hebrews 4:1–11).
So is the earth more than 6,000 years old? Yes.
While the Bible does not explicitly state the age of the earth, it does show that mankind has been on earth for about 6,000 years. And the Bible also shows that after God first created the earth, but before mankind—a period of time existed where Satan rebelled and the earth became desolate. This could easily have been billions of years ago.
So we see plainly that there is plenty of room in the words of the Bible to recognize the very ancient age of planet Earth—a fact that has been consistently proven to be true by scientific discovery.
To learn more about the history of the earth, click here to read our free book, Evolution and Creation: What Both Sides Miss.
Or if you want to see what is coming in the future, check out our video Revelation’s “End of the World” Timeline Explained.
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